SONG BIRDS OF ORCHARD AND WOODLAND. 197 
hands of a madman. Chapman tells us that in Cuba most 
of our wood Warblers are known simply as “mariposas” 
(butterflies), but the Redstart’s flaming plumage has won 
for it the name of " candelita,” the “little torch,” that flashes 
in the gloomy depths of the tropical forest. He gives the 
Fig. 66.— American Redstart. Lower figure, male; upper figure, female. 
One-half natural size. 
song as ching, ching, chee, ser-wee, swee, swee-e-e, and this 
is a good description of its general character. The song 
varies, however, like that of other Warblers, but is usually 
more cheerful than musical. The alarm note of the Redstart 
is a sharp chirp. 
The insect food of the Redstart is perhaps more varied 
than that of any other common Warbler. Apparently there 
are few forest insects of small size that do not, in some of 
their forms, falla prey to this bird. Caterpillars that escape 
some of the slower birds by spinning down from the branches 
and hanging by their silken threads are snapped up in mid air 
by the Redstart. It takes its prey from trunk, limbs, twigs, 
leaves, and also from the air, so that there is no escape for 
